Microsoft finally admits Store users care about when apps were last updated

Microsoft never explained the move, but it was widely assumed this was due to the embarrassingly poor frequency with which major apps in the store have been updated, with some apps seeing years between updates.

Today Microsoft has taken a half-step towards acknowledging that knowing apps have been recently updated is an important and attractive feature for Windows Store users.

As can be seen in the screenshot above from Aggiornamentilumia.it some Windows Store users will now be confronted with bright yellow labels saying a new version of an app is now available.

The feature appears to be a server-side change, which may be part of an A/B test by Microsoft or be set to roll out more widely to most users.

Hopefully with the demise of Windows Phone, having dated apps in the store is less important (as users can always use Win32 apps or web sites), and Microsoft can finally take the final step of reinstating the Last Updated field, which would, after all, encourage engaged developers to keep their apps fresh, and help users determine whether it is worthwhile investing in an app.